Tyron Woodley
Tyron Woodley is the current UFC welterweight champion. He was also a welterweight prospect in Strikeforce. Strikeforce Career He most recently fought veteran Andre Galvao, defeating him via first-round TKO after a dominant performance in which Galvao looked pathetically helpless. Woodley discussed in his post-fight interview getting a title shot at the December event against the winner of the welterweight title fight between Nick Diaz and KJ Noons later that night. He did not, however, get the title shot. Woodley next headlined a Challengers card against Tarec Saffiedine, winning via unanimous decision. He next stepped in on about a month's notice to replace Evangelista Santos against fellow Strikeforce contender and UFC veteran Paul Daley. He defeated Daley via a close unanimous decision. Woodley next signed to face well-rounded Canadian prospect Jordan Mein. He defeated Mein via a less-than-awe inspiring split decision. Woodley next stated that he wouldn't accept another fight unless it was for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title. Indeed Woodley next welcomed Strikeforce newcomer and UFC veteran Nate Marquardt for the vacant championship. Marquardt handed Woodley his first loss, knocking him out in the fourth round with a beautiful combination of punches and elbows. UFC Career After Strikeforce closed its doors and dissolved its roster into the UFC, Woodley stepped in to make his UFC debut on a month's notice replacing an injured Erick Silva against Bellator/Strikeforce veteran Jay Hieron. Woodley knocked Hieron out very quickly and impressively to earn Knockout of the Night honors and make a huge impression in his first UFC bout. Woodley next stated that he wanted to fight former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields. Other possible opponents were veterans Robbie Lawler and Josh Koscheck. Instead Woodley next signed to face Shields. Shields defeated Woodley via a close, controversial and boring judge's decision. Woodley next signed to fight veteran Josh Koscheck. Woodley knocked out Koscheck in the first round after a high-paced brawl. Woodley quickly next signed to fight former UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit presumably for a number-one contender status. Woodley defeated Condit via second round technical knockout due to injury after Condit suffered a broken knee. Woodley next fought Rory MacDonald losing via a dominant unanimous decision. Resurgence and Title Run Wasting little time after the embarrassing loss Woodley replaced an injured Hector Lombard against Dong Hyun Kim in China. Woodley delivered a stunning first round knockout of the overconfident Kim, getting right back into title contention. Woodley next fought prospect Kelvin Gastelum, handing Gastelum his first loss via a relatively forgettable split decision. After the Gastelum fight Woodley was out of competition for a year and a half. He had signed to fight former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks towards the end of 2015 but Hendricks had missed weight badly at the weigh-ins and the fight had been canceled due to health concerns with Hendricks not being able to safely cut the rest of the weight in time. The Champ is Here Woodley was promised a title shot after that and eventually in the early summer of 2016, he received the shot against champion Robbie Lawler at UFC 201. Woodley stepped up to the plate, in the prefight often quoting recently deceased boxer, the Greatest of All Time Muhammad Ali. Woodley put on an Ali-Liston esque performance pulling off the first round knockout of Lawler to become the new UFC welterweight champion. After the fight Woodley immediately snubbed rightful contender Stephen Thompson calling out the troubled Nick Diaz who was just coming off a nearly two year suspension for smoking marijuana. Woodley called out Diaz for UFC 202, which would take place a mere three weeks after UFC 201 and would be headlined by a huge money rematch between UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor and Diaz's brother Nate Diaz. Woodley also mentioned wanting to fight former champion Georges St. Pierre. Woodley gave Thompson the run-around for about a month and a half, royally pissing off fans and "being as tough as Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor" in terms of negotiating how much money he'd be paid to fight Thompson. Finally he agreed to make his first title defense against Thompson at the UFC's first Madison Square Garden show in November 2016, for an exorbitant amount no doubt. The fight itself lived up to the wait, however; the pair of fighters, in fact, duked it out to a split draw if I remember correctly, some form of draw.. Woodley agreed to an immediate rematch against Thompson, resulting in another close fight but much more of a chess match and leaning Thompson's favor for the most part.. It was an incredibly boring but incredibly tactical fight up until the last few rounds when Woodley began landing and dropped Thompson, somehow securing a close decision victory over Thompson and dashing his rival's title hopes for the time being. Woodley didn't kick back and relax, far from it; he next signed to fight veteran Demian Maia in the third defense of his title. Woodley dominated Maia en route to a unanimous decision with an entertainment value - or lack thereof - that many fans derided and abhorred. Regardless Woodley took some time off, which he'd earned - quickly becoming one of the most active UFC champions of the time. He casually dismissed top contenders such as Colby Covington - a Chael Sonnen protege coming off a win over Maia as well now - and former UFC lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos, who was now coming off three straight welterweight victories including a dominant decision over Robbie Lawler. Instead of these legitimate - and legitimately challenging - contenders.. Woodley decided to repeatedly call out inactive natural lightweight Nate Diaz and inactive former UFC welterweight/middleweight champion Georges St. Pierre. He himself was called out by dusty veteran and analyst Dan Hardy, who hadn't competed in roughly six years by that point. Woodley waited, recovered, relaxed.. and watched Colby Covington defeat Rafael Dos Anjos via impressive decision for the 'interim title.' A few months later, while Colby was stalling and mulling over whether or not to get a surgery and be sidelined indefinitely.. Woodley signed to defend his title for the fifth time versus undefeated British prospect Darren Till, who had out of nowhere to knock out Donald Cerrone and decision Stephen Thompson in a home-cooked snoozer in England. The Till fight would likely come at Madison Square Garden.. At least that's where I'd put it. Fights *Tyron Woodley vs. Nathan Coy - The fight ended in a controversial split decision victory for the undefeated Woodley instead of hometown boy Nathan Coy. *Tyron Woodley vs. Andre Galvao *Tyron Woodley vs. Paul Daley *Tyron Woodley vs. Jordan Mein *Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley - The fight was for the Strikeforce welterweight title vacated by Nick Diaz. The fight was also the Strikeforce and welterweight debut of UFC veteran Nate Marquardt. It was Marquardt's first fight in a year and a half. The fight was Woodley's first loss and it was a candidate for Knockout of the Year for 2012. *Tyron Woodley vs. Robbie Lawler - The fight was for the UFC welterweight championship with Robbie Lawler defending. Category:Welterweight fighters Category:UFC welterweight champions